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Chris -- 2018-04-11
There are lots of Google hits for “ware and tare”, and they look like plain old misspellings. But googling “wares and tares” yields a more complicated picture. In many cases it appears to be just a pluralization of the “ware and tare” substitution for “wear and tear”, though sometimes used verbally. But there are even more examples wherein “wares and tares” is a substitution for, or perhaps I should say an elaboration of, the noun “wares”. What the perps think “tares” means in this context is unclear, though determining the tare weight of a container or conveyance is often associated with selling one’s wares. Here are some examples of each variation:
Wares and Tares of Mexico [accompanied by pictures of products]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/micawber/2102539648/
It has become apparent to me that we need to really set up some measures to protect our tablets from the daily wares and tares of life.
http://www.camastechnologyspecialists.c … ets/1.html
i am excited to share my wares and tares with everyone
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/thr … hcf.59715/
someone told me it has a lifetime warrenty so when it wares and tares you can send it back for free and they will replacve it at no cost.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index … 0.20;imode
Mrs Jones Emporium has found a brand new shop to show off her wares and tares
https://www.facebook.com/events/175696642487975/
The shops lining the alleys overflow onto the streets offering the passer-by a glimpse of wares and tares ranging from a cows leg, to nail scissors.
http://www.durham21.co.uk/2008/01/gettling-lost-in-fs/
Holes, stains, other wares and tares along with pigment, wool and bleach make up his dynamic paintings
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=82108091991
Fall Wares & Tares
http://blog.cherylfowers.com/?p=148
That last one becomes especially confusing when, later on the same page, she says:
...after years of wear and tare it was a play thing for the grand kids.
I’m thinking that people’s substituting “wares and tares” for “wares” could be influenced by idioms like “dribs and drabs” or “easy peasy”, in which part of the phrase is assumed (however unconsciously) to be there not because of any meaning connection but for the purpose of rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, etc. This leads to the question: If a meaning connection is not assumed, are we in eggcorn territory, or in some neighboring province?
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This wordset popped up five years ago in a discussion of the legal term “fair wear and tear”: http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/view … p?pid=3907
We have played around with wear/ware at various times. Footware/footwear: http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/view … hp?id=2683
“Ware and tare” for “wear and tear” is clever—perhaps too clever to be a believable eggcorn.
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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I’m so pleased when I can not only contribute to forum eggcornery but also tend to the seminary/seedbed culture of you heathens.
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-13/
So wares and tares is a real beaut: good and bad stuff. But Kem may be right about it being too clever to be innocent.
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